Hatch frame and cover for covered hopper car



June 3, 1958 c. E. JCSHANSSON 2,837,040

HATCH FRAME AND COVER FOR COVERED HOPPER CAR Fall ed Dec. 17. 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 1 IIVVENTOB' June 3, 1958 c. E. JOHANSSON 2,837,040

HATCH FRAME AND COVER FOR COVERED HOPPER CAR 2 a v m M w T W M mm W 3 25 w m x N n F.

C 921. E. dome/vase HATCH FRAME AND COVER FOR COVERED HOPPER CAR June 3,1958 c. E. JOHANSSON 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.

- C-=7 ez. E. JOHHAASSON qr Wfw United States Patent HATCH FRAME ANDCOVER FOR COVERED HOPPER CAR Carl E. Johansson, Cleveland, Ohio,assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application December 17, 1952, Serial No. 326,490

3 Claims. (Cl. 105-377) This invention relates to hatch frames andcovers and more particularly to hatch frames and covers for coveredhopper cars.

It is an object of this invention to provide structures of the kindindicated which shall effect a substantial reduction in the costthereof.

A further object is to provide structures of the kind indicated whichshall obviate the securement of the parts thereof other than the frameto the roofs of the cars.

A further object is to provide a unit hatch frame and cover for coveredhopper cars which shall embody locking mechanism for the cover.

A further object is to provide hinged covers for hatch frames withreinforcements which shall not only stiffen the covers againstdistortion but shall serve as a tie between hinges and locking memberssecured upon the covers.

A further object is to provide hinged covers for hatch frames andlocking mechanism for the covers so constructed and arranged as torender it impossible to close the covers incorrectly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unit hatch frame,cover and cover locking mechanism for covered hopper cars capable ofbeing opened longitudinally of the cars and be supported upon the roofsof the cars.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the descriptionthereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a roof of a covered hopper carhaving a unit hatch frame, transversely opening cover and lockingmechanism embodying the instant invention and showing the latch for theactuating lever of the mechanism in retracted position in dot and dashlines.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. l

showing the cover locked, parts being broken away to more clearlyillustrate the construction.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the cover unlocked, partsbeing broken away to more clearly show the construction.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line4-4 of Fig. 1 showing thecover in open position in dot and dash lines.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55 of Fig. 1, parts beingbroken away for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a portion of the hatch frame and cover unitlooking from the left in Fig. l and showing the feature of the inventionwhich prevents improper closing of the cover.

Fig. 7 is a view similer to Fig. 1 showing a hatch frame andlongitudinally opening cover unit embodying the instant invention. I

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line 88 of Fig. 7 showing thecover in open position and parts broken away to show the constructionmore clearly.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective of one of the bearing members for thehatch cover.

2,837,040 Patented June 3, 1958 ICC Referring first to the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings the numeral10 designates generally the roof of a covered hopper car to which theinstant invention is particularly applicable. The roofs of such cars arecustomarily provided with spaced hatch openings disposed on both sidesof the running board 11. One of these hatch openings is shown at 12.

Secured to the roof around each hatch opening is a rectangular metallicframe 13 of well-known construction which embodies an outwardlyextending flange 14 adapted to be seated upon and secured to the roof,an upwardly extending flange 15 and an outwardly and downwardly inclinedflange 16 engaged by the cover 17 for the hatch frame when the cover isclosed.

The hatch cover 17 is formed of a rectangular metallic plate providedwith a depending peripheral flange 18. According to the instantinvention the hatch cover has pairs of corrugations 19 and 20 positionedadjacent to the sides of the cover so as to extend transversely of theroof. A hinge strap 21 and a locking member 22 are secured upon thecover 17 in spaced relationship between the pair of corrugations 19. Ahinge strap 23 and a locking member 24 are similarly secured between thepair of corrugations 20. Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings it willbe seen that the hinge straps 21 and 23 extend inwardly of the adjacentends of the pairs of corrugations and the locking members 22 and 24extend inwardly of the opposite ends of the pairs of corrugations. Bythis construction the pairs of corrugations not only serve to strengthenthe hatch cover but act as ties between the hinge straps and lockingmembers and effect a saving of material.

The considered hatch cover is mounted upon the hatch frame 13 so as tobe capable of movement of translation and transverse swinging movement.For this purpose members 25 and 26 are secured to the end of the hatchframe adjacent to the running board 11. The member 25 embodies a plate27 bent into angular shape to provide a vertical flange 28 by means ofwhich the plate is secured to the hatch frame as by means of rivets 29and a horizontal flange 30. The flange 30 is coped to provide spacedabutments 31 and 32 which lie in offset planes for a purpose hereinafterappearing. Between the abutments 31 and 32 the flange 30 is turnedupwardly to provide a flange 33 adapted to be welded to and support ahollow cylindrical member 34 in which a shaft 35 is journaled.

The member 25 also embodies a plate 36 welded in edgewise abuttingengagement with the flange 28 and the underside of the portion of flange30 which is coped to provide abutment 32. One side of plate 36 abuts theadjacent edge of upturned flange 33, the portion of flange 30 from whichflange 33 extends and the cylindrical member 34 and is welded to theseelements. Plate 36 is formed with an opening alined with the opening inthe cylindrical member 34 so that the shaft 35 is also journalled inplate 36. The latter extends upwardly above flange 30 as indicated at 37and is formed with a curved upper edge as shown at 38.

The member 26 is similar in construction to member 25 except that theabutments 31 and 32 extend oppositely to the abutments formed in bearingmember 25. The description of member 25 will therefore suffice for thedescription of member 26.

The hinge straps 21 and 23, which are preferably made from anglemembers, are formed to provide eyes 39 and 40 which embrace similar cams41 and 42 eccentrically mounted upon shaft 35. Angle stop members43 and44 are welded to the eyes 39 and 40 in opposed relationship to theabutments 32 and a plate stop member 45 is welded to shaft 35 in opposedrelationship to abutment 31 of bearing member 25.

A lever 46 is welded to shaft for the purpose of imparting rotation tothe-shaft. A short'piece of'round bar 47 is welded to and projects fromthe lever and is adapted to be seated automatically in an opening 48formed in the underside of a latch 49-pivotally-mounted upon a bracket50 welded to a side of the hatch frame when the lever is swung to thedesired vertical position. A short piece of round bar 51 welded to andprojecting fromlatch 49 aids in disengaging the latch from the bar '47.'When the cover is closed and locked upon thelatch frame the lever isheld against swinging movement by a latch 52 which is also pivotallymounted upon bracket 50 and swings horizontally.

As'noted above'bracket 50 is welded to the hatch frame and therefore isnot fastened to the roof. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the bracket isshown as formed from a plate bent into an angle to provide a horizontalflange 53 and an upstanding flange 54. The edge of flange 53 is weldedto the hatch frame and this flange is reinforced by a triangular plate55 welded to the frame and the underside of the flange. An offset platemember 56 is welded to the portion of upstanding flange 54 adjacent toshaft 35 so that the portion 57 of this member above the offset 58 isspaced from the indicated portion of flange 54. The latch 49 ispivotally mounted in this space by means of a pin 59.

The portion of upstanding flange 54 remote from shaft 35 is bentoutwardly and downwardly to provide a horizontal flange 60 spaced fromthe remaining portion of the upstanding flange. An angular plate member61 formed with a substantially triangular vertical flange 62 and asubstantially horizontal flange 63 is secured to the upstanding flange54. Thissecurement is obtained by welding an edge of the triangularflange 62 to flange 54 so that flange 63 lies above and in spacedrelationship to flange 60. Triangular flange 62 which is alined'withtriangular plate 55, serves to reinforce flange 54, while the spacebetween flanges 60 and 63 is adapted to receive a substantiallyhorizontally swinging latch 52 pivotally mounted between the latterflanges by means of a vertical pin 65. The latch 52 is formed from aplate which is bent upward to provide a finger grip 66 for swinging thelatch. Alined seal openings 67 and 68 are formed in flange 63 and thelatch 52, respectively. When the cover is closed and locked and thelever is in substantially horizontal position the latch 52 is swung overthe lever to hold it against upward swinging movement.

To open the hatch cover from its closed and locked position shown inFigure l the seal (not shown) is first removed and latch 52 swung'fromthe position shown in full lines to'theposition shown in dot and dashlines. Thelatch is thereby disengaged from the lever 46 which isthenswung toward the running board 11. During this movement of the leverthe member 47 moves along the underside of 'latch 49 until opening 48 inthe latch registers with.member"47. Latch'49 then falls by gravity andmember 47 is seated in opening 48 thereby preventing further. movementof lever 46 and locking it in vertical position.

Operation-of the lever as described imparts rotation of the shaft 35 andthe stop member 45 and eccentric earns 41 and 42 secured upon the shaft.Stop member 45 isrotated from the full line position to the dot and dashline position as shown in Figure 4 where it engages abutment 31. Thisengagement insures against further swinging'of lever 46 toward therunning board in the event latcht49 is disengaged from member 47 of thelever and thereby prevents possible damage to the cover.

Rotation of the eccentric cams 41 and 42 within the eyes 39 and 40 ofthe hinge straps 21 and 23 produces a bodilyshifting or motion oftranslation of the cover 17 upon the hatch frame 13 away from therunning board, that is, from the position shown in Figure 2 to theposition shown in Figure'3. 'This movement effects disengagement of thehook-shaped locking members 22 and -24from the angular detents-69 and 70secured to the hatch frames so that the cover may be swung by means ofhandle 71 about the cams 41 and 42 to open position. The movement of thecover is limited by the engagement of the angle stop members 43 and 44with abutments 32.

To-;close-the cover it is swung-downwardly upon the hatch frame. Latch49 is then disengaged from the lever which is also swung downwardlytoward the roof. The rotation of 'the shaft and eccentric cams therebyproduced causes the cover-to shift bodily toward the running board andlocking engagement between the locking hooks and angle detents occurs.The lever is locked by the latch which is then sealed.

Since the cover moves bodily toward the running board when the lever isswung downward the cover can ordinarily be damaged if the properprocedure of closing the cover is not followed. Should the lever beswung downward before the cover is closed the resulting bodily movementof the cover relative to the hatch frame would so position the coverthat upon subsequent closing thereof the edgeof the cover remote fromthe running board would strike the frame and be damaged. The instantinvention prevents such damage by insuring that the proper procedure isfollowed in closing the cover.

This is accomplished as follows. Assuming that the latch 49 has beendisengaged from the lever and that it is attempted to swing the leverdownward while the cover is still open it will be found that theeccentric action of the cams 41and 42 within the eyes 39 and 40 of thehinge straps will produce a downward bodily movement of the cover so asto effect engagement between angular reinforcing members 72 and 73secured to the edge of the cover adjacent to the running board and thecurved upper edge '38 of the plates 36 of the bearing members 25 and 26.This engagement will prevent further movement of the lever and since theengagement can readily be seen the lever will be returned to its properposition and the cover first closed. Even if the door is forced downwardto closed position after the described engagement occurs the freeswinging edge of the cover will clear the hatch frame and damage to thecover will be avoided.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the invention applied to a hatch cover whichswings longitudinally of the roof and is adapted to be supported uponthe roof so that the projection of the cover above the roof is held to aminimum. The structure of the invention hereinabove described is hereutilized with the exception that the angle stop members 43 and 44 areomitted to permit the cover to assume the position shown in Figure 8when the cover is open. The same safeguards above described are employedin the considered embodiment of the invention.

In order to prevent damage to the cover and the roof when the cover isopened a resilient stop member 74 is provided. This member embodiesangle brackets 75 and 76 secured upon the opposite sides of the carlineroof cap 77 which extends from caves to caves of the roof and embracesthe adjacent upstanding flanges 78 and 79 of the roof sheets 80 and 81.A metallic plate member 82 having vertical depending side flanges 83 and84 and horizontal end attaching flanges 85 and 86 are secured to theangle brackets 75 and 76 as by means of bolts 87. A rubber bumper 88 isdisposed between the angle brackets and member 82. A portion 89 of thebumper projects upwardly through an opening 90 in the plate member 82 toengage and support the cover when it is opened.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that in both embodimentsthe instant invention provides a complete unit of hatch frame, cover andlocking mechanism so that it is only necessary to secure the hatch frameupon the roof to effect securement of the entire structure.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in thedetails of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. Itis intended, therefore, that all 5 such changes and modifications becomprehended within this invention which is to be limited only by thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway car having a roof, a hatch opening in said roof, a hatchframe secured to said roof around said opening, a cover for said frame,shaft supporting members secured to said frame, a shaft journalled insaid members, cams eccentrically mounted on said shaft, hinge strapssecured to said cover, collars on said straps encircling said cams, alever secured to said shaft for imparting rotation thereto, andcooperating means on said cover and frame for locking said cover uponsaid frame, said lever being swingable in one direction to effectautomatic disengagement of said cooperating locking means and permitswinging movement of said cover to open position about said cams,engaging means on said cover and engaging means on said shaft supportingmembers, said latter two means being engaged to limit swinging movementof said lever in the opposite direction when said lever is swung in saidopposite direction prior to closing movement of said cover.

2. in a railway car having a roof, a hatch opening in said roof, a hatchframe secured to said roof around said opening, a cover for said frame,shaft supporting members secured to said frame, extensions on said shaftsupporting members, a shaft journalled in said members, camseccentrically mounted on said shaft, hinge straps secured to said cover,collars on said straps encircling said cams, a lever secured to saidshaft for imparting rotation thereto, and cooperating means on saidcover and frame for locking said cover upon said frame, said lever beingswingable in one direction to effect automatic disengagement of saidcooperating locking means and permit swinging movement of said cover toopen position about said cams, said cover having angle members, saidangle members engaging said extensions to limit swinging movement ofsaid lever in the opposite direction when said lever is swung in saidopposite direction prior to closing movement of said cover.

3. A unit hatch frame, cover and locking mechanism for roofs of coveredhopper cars comprising a hatch frame, shaft supporting members carriedby said frame, a shaft journalled in said members, a lever mounted uponsaid shaft and operable to impart rotation thereto, a stop member onsaid lever, cams eccentrically secured on said shaft, a cover for saidframe, hinge straps secured to said cover, said hinge straps havingcollars encircling said cams, cooperating means on said cover and saidhatch frame for locking said cover upon said frame, said lever beingswingable in one direction to effect automatic disengagement of saidcooperating locking means and permit swinging movement of said cover toopen position about said cams, engaging means on said cover and engagingmeans on said shaft supporting members, said latter two means beingengaged to limit swinging movement of said lever in the oppositedirection when said lever is swung in said opposite direction prior toclosing movement of said cover means carried by said frame for lockingsaid lever when said cover is locked, a latch carried by said frame,said latch automatically engaging said stop member on said lever whensaid lever is actuated away from said frame and preventing furtheractuation of said lever toward and away from said frame, and a stopmember secured to and rotatable with said shaft, said stop memberengaging one of said shaft supporting members to prevent actuation ofsaid lever away from said frame upon release of said latch from saidstop member on said lever.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,886,788 Campbell Nov. 8, 1932 2,372,369 Ditchfield Mar, 27, 19452,547,859 Duflie et al. Apr. 3, 1951 2,586,601 Beauchamp Feb. 19, 1952

